My Song For You
by Bandwardcontest
Summary: CullensX3 are the hottest rock band in the world, touring non-stop for the last seven years. Lead singer, Edward and his wife, Bella are drifting apart. Will a chance meeting with another young couple just starting out and deeply in love remind them what they have?


Pairing: Edward and Bella

Genre: Romance/Hurt Comfort

Summary: CullensX3 are the hottest rock band in the world, touring non-stop for the last seven years. Lead singer, Edward and his wife, Bella are drifting apart. Will a chance meeting with another young couple just starting out and deeply in love remind them what they have?

Word Count: 6473

Disclaimer: The author does not own any of the publicly recognizable entities herein. All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer. My Song for You belongs to Leon Russell. No copyright infringement is intended. 

Bella sat on the end of his bed, watching him sleep. Edward looked so different when he was sleeping.

Relaxed; he never seemed so peaceful when he was awake. She felt her lip quiver as she watched him sleep; her love.

But, she had a decision to make. One she had been wrestling with for the past few months.

Tonight was the final concert of the tour; then they were on their way home. Home. More like the house they owned; it had never really been a home, and they didn't spend enough time there to give it that title.

They would be there long enough for the band to record their next album, roughly four months; then it would be back on the road. Could she do it? They had been touring for the last seven years, and she was tired. This is not how she thought her life would turn out, but it was exactly what he wanted his life to be.

Could she walk away from the only man she would ever love? Tell him that she couldn't live this lifestyle anymore? This was his life, his love, his reason for being. She knew how it would be when she joined him. He would understand, kiss her, and tell her everything would be okay. But, when the time came to leave again, he would go because it was who he was.

She wanted babies and a husband who would come home at night. He wanted babies too, but he saw nothing wrong with raising them on the road until they were old enough for school. It was the only thing they disagreed about.

As she watched him sleep, tears were running down her cheeks. Her heart was breaking. Then her stomach growled, loudly.

Bella closed the bedroom door quietly so she wouldn't wake him. She could call room service or go down to the hotel's restaurant and grab a bite to eat, but she wanted to get away; get some fresh air. She remembered a diner she had seen as the bus pulled up late last night and decided to walk there. She dressed quickly in her jeans and tee-shirt pulled on her sneakers, grabbed the room key card, and made her way to the elevator. She knew Edward wouldn't be waking up any time soon. He'd been up all day yesterday, played the concert last night, and was up most of the night writing for the new album.

As she approached the diner, she smiled at the sign: "Best Burgers in Texas." She glanced at her watch and noticed it was ten forty-five; she wondered if it was too early to get one of those best burgers.

The smell that hit her as she pulled open the door to the diner was heavenly. It was fairly empty. She made her way over to the counter and sat on one of the stools. She took a quick look around. There were booths on each side of the room. They even had those personal jukeboxes in each booth. It made her smile; surprised they even existed anymore. There were a few tables in the middle of the room, but they were empty. Only two of the booths had people finishing up their breakfast.

She picked up the menu that was stuck between the napkin holder and ketchup bottle and started looking it over. Smiling to herself as she noticed it looked like good homemade cooking. A young man, who looked to be in his early to mid-twenties welcomed her and asked her what she wanted to drink. She ordered coffee then, pointing to the sign on the wall asked, "Is it too early to get one of those best burgers?"

She couldn't help but smile at his deep southern accent as he replied politely, "Absolutely not, ma'am. We serve whatever the customer wants, whenever the customer wants it. What would you like on your burger?"

"Um, mustard, ketchup, and pickles," she answered. "Oh, and an order of fries." She replaced the menu, and sipped her coffee.

"How would you like your burger cooked rare, medium or well?" the cute waiter asked her.

"Medium is fine."

"You know, to make it the best burger in Texas, we have to add BBQ sauce. What makes it so special is our homemade, secret recipe sauce." He grinned at her. "Unless, you have an aversion to BBQ sauce. We have it in mild, medium, hot, and damn hot."

She couldn't help but laugh. "I think I will take mild, thanks."

"No problem, ma'am, I'll get that order right in," he told her walking to the back.

She spun around on the stool and looked out the windows. It was flat and dry here. No green or rain like at home. She had spent the early part of her life in Phoenix; this reminded her of there. Then she had moved to Forks, Washington when she was sixteen to live with her Dad; that's where her life had changed, when she met him.

She had just moved to Forks, to live with her father. She felt very out of place in a new school, surrounded by people who had spent their entire lives together, so at lunchtime she would go outside to eat the lunch she had packed. Not good at "meeting" people, she preferred to be alone. She walked into the forest that surrounded Forks High School and found a tree that had fallen on its side. She sat down, leaned her back against another tree and opened her book to read.

She hadn't finished the first paragraph of her book when she heard guitar strings being strummed. She turned slightly so she could see the picnic tables that sat a few feet from the tree line. What she saw took her breath away. This incredible looking boy, with ginger hair that went everywhere, plucked at the guitar he held on his lap. She doesn't remember how long she watched him. He was alone, and she watched, mesmerized, as he would pick a few chords on the guitar, take the pencil he held in his mouth, and write in the notebook that lay on the table next to him. She realized he was writing music, and it was a beautifully, haunting tune.

She didn't even realize she had moved until he glanced up and caught her leaning against the tree that was closest to the table he was working at. He stared at her but never said a word. Embarrassed at getting caught, she turned a few shades of red and looked down at her shoes. "Sorry,

I didn't mean to interrupt. I was reading and I heard you playing. It's beautiful," she muttered, still looking at her feet.

He never answered her. He returned to his guitar as she stumbled back to the school.

"Need a refill, ma'am?" the waiter asked, interrupting her thoughts.

She turned around on the stool, smiled at him, and nodded. She would need all the caffeine she could drink to get through tonight.

"Is it always this quiet this time a day?" she asked as he filled her cup.

"Yup, we stay pretty busy first thing in the morning; then we have a small lunch crowd. They'll start piling in a little after twelve, then it gets real quiet again, til about five, when everyone comes in for supper," he told her.

She smiled at him as he put her plate in front of her. It contained the biggest burger she had ever seen, dripping with juice; her tummy growled loudly just from the wonderful smell. Using both hands to pick it up, took a big bite.

Oh my God! They needed to change that sign to the best burgers in the world. She closed her eyes and savored the flavors that were dancing across her taste buds. When she opened her eyes, she noticed the cute waiter staring at her with a big grin on his face. He nodded as if to say, "Told you."

She swallowed her mouthful and smiled at him. "This is, without a doubt, the best burger I have ever eaten."

"The sauce is a secret recipe my grandma came up with years ago, rest her soul. Big companies have tried to wrestle the ingredients out of us, but we ain't selling out. No, sir, that is staying right here." He walked off to wipe down the tables that had emptied.

She finished her meal and looked around. The diner was empty. Memories started to flood her mind again.

She looked for him every lunch hour. If it was raining, which it always seemed to do in Forks, he would play in the empty music room. She made a habit of sitting outside the door to listen to him play. She would wait for him to stop playing and sneak away. She wasn't sure what she fell in love with first ... him ... or his music. His music was soulfully heartbreaking.

One day she was extremely tired and nodded off to the beautiful melody he was playing on the piano.

She thought she was dreaming when she opened her eyes, and he was kneeling in front of her, running his fingertips down her cheek. Smiling up at him she told him she loved him. She realized she had said it aloud, when he laughed.

They were together every minute of every day after that. All through high school and college. Their last year in college, Edward, along with his brothers, Emmett and Jasper, played "open mike" nights all over Seattle. One night, they were approached by an agent, and within six months, they had a recording contract. The first disc, "The CullensX3",soared up the charts, and they were on their way. They were known for their heavy, hard-rocking style that the men loved, but it was Edward's melodic love songs that made the women swoon.

Edward told her he couldn't – wouldn't - go on tour without her. He couldn't make music without her.

She was his muse. Everything good that had happened with his music, happened after he met her. So she put her career dreams of teaching on hold and agreed to be his wife.

Within two weeks they were married and on the road. The CullensX3 played sold out concerts all over the world in the first five years. The more they gave, the more the world wanted from them. They did it together.

Things started to become strained between them in the last couple years. Bella was tired of the road.

While she would never ask him to quit, she did ask him to cut back on the touring. Even Jasper and Emmett agreed they didn't need to be out on the road as often. But, Edward said the people who paid good money for their music deserved to see them play live. It had become an ongoing argument between them.

She couldn't imagine him out on the road without her. But, she didn't think she could do it anymore.

This was the decision she had to make. Tell Edward she was done with touring, which could possibly end their marriage, or keep going and be unhappy. Either way, they both lost.

The waiter was sitting in one of the booths in the back, doing what looked like schoolwork. He must be in college, she thought to herself, too old for high school. He happened to look up and walked over to her.

"Do you need any dessert?" he asked. "We also have the best apple pie in the state."

She patted her belly and told him no thanks but did accept his offer of a refill on her coffee.

"If you don't mind my asking, ma'am?" He looked at her sheepishly. She nodded for him to continue.

"Are you with the band?" Looking over toward the hotel.

She looked surprised. "Why do you ask? What makes you think I would be with a band?"

He chuckled, "Well, I was here last night when the bus pulled in. You look like one of the ladies that got off the bus, but it was dark, and I could be mistaken. You are definitely not from Texas, and most folks that stay at that hotel eat there. They have room service and a big fancy restaurant, so we cater mostly to the locals. Pardon me, if I'm speaking out of turn, but you just looked a little road weary and in need of a good home-cooked meal when you walked in." He blushed when he said the last part.

She couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"No need to apologize. You're absolutely right, about everything. I'm with the band, and I am very road weary," she told him. She sipped her coffee then remembered something he said. "Wait, you were here when we pulled in? That was around two-thirty or three this morning. Are you open all night?"

"No, ma'am," he told her while wiping down the counter. "My folks own the diner. I work the breakfast shift, then go to school in town most afternoons. I come back after and close up. I start my homework here, and sometimes I get so caught up in it, I forget the time. Last night, or this morning was one of those nights."

She nodded and smiled. Life in a small town.

He looked at her, his cheeks turning pink, "Do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"Of course not," she responded.

"Are you a backup singer? I didn't think CullensX3 had any girl singers." He turned even redder as he spoke.

She laughed quietly and shook her head. "No, believe me, no one would pay money to hear me sing, backup, or otherwise. I'm the stage manager. I check out the venues ahead of time, make sure the equipment and lighting are correct. Make sure the guys instruments are in their proper place, and hopefully tuned. Then after the show, I make sure everything that belongs to the band is packed up, loaded up on the trucks or buses, and on its way to our next stop."

"Wow, that must be an exciting life. Travel around, seeing the world," he told her with a faraway look on his face.

"It's a good life," she said sadly. "But, it's also a hard life. You really don't see much of the world. You arrive late, try to get some sleep, see whatever town you're in through a window, pack up, and move on. I've been to a lot of places, but seen very little."

He leaned on the counter with his elbows, staring out the windows. "I guess every job has its downside. Things always look greener on the other side. Must be pretty awesome working with the Cullens though. Their music is amazing."

She nodded. "Yes, they are amazing musicians, but they are also amazing people." Smiling to herself because she had spoken the truth.

She nodded toward his books, "What are you studying?"

"Law." He smiled. "My grandpa was a lawyer, and it always interested me, even as a small boy. I have to survive three more months, then pass the bar." He laughed as he said, "Then I can work on paying back all my student loans, and maybe in about five years, I can afford to buy my wife the house she deserves."

She watched his face as he spoke. The minute he mentioned his wife, his entire expression changed. It was as if everything he did was for his wife.

She shook her head to clear it, trying to think of a change of subject. "You coming to the concert tonight?"

He looked away before he spoke. "No, I tried to get tickets, but they sold out really fast. Then I tried to win them from the local radio station, but no luck. I was really hoping to take my wife. She loves herself some Edward Cullen" - he grinned - "but she understands. I even went on the internet, but they want an outrageous amount of money for even the nosebleed seats." He shrugged. "My wife is a good woman, never complains, works hard, basically supports us. It would have been nice to surprise her, but ... someday."

The door opened, and he went to wait on another customer. She glanced at her watch and saw it was after twelve; guess the lunch crowd is starting to come in. She finished her coffee and waited patiently for her check, knowing he was the only server. She wasn't in a hurry.

A beautiful, petite woman, dressed in medical scrubs, sat next to her at the counter. The woman reached over, grabbed a cup and the coffee pot, and filled the cup. "Would you like a refill?" the woman asked.

She smiled and shook her head. "No, I'm fine, thanks."

She watched as the man she had spent the last hour talking to went from table to table, taking orders and delivering food. Everyone seemed to know him and greeted him as Bubba. She chuckled softly, wondering if his name was really Bubba. Was that even possible?

Bubba walked by the woman sitting at the end of the counter and leaned down to kiss her cheek.

"Hey, darling, do you want something to eat?" he asked her sweetly.

"No, coffee's good. Just wanted to see you for a minute." She smiled up at him.

He laid Bella's check on the counter and introduced her to his wife, Peggy. He told Peggy she worked for the CullensX3, and Peggy's face lit up.

"Really? You know Edward Cullen?" she asked.

Bella laughed. "Yep, know all three of those Cullen boys."

"Wow," was all she could say. After a few minutes, Peggy asked very softly, "What are they like, you know, in real life?"

Bella couldn't help but snicker. "They are really down-to-earth guys. Love their music, work hard, and love their families." Her heart hurt a little bit when she realized how true those words were.

Bubba interrupted them to tell his wife he would pick her up for dinner by six and went on about his work.

Peggy blushed as she watched him. "It's our anniversary, two years," Peggy told her. "We've been together since we were seventeen. We were going to wait until he finished law school to get married, but we couldn't. We don't see much of each other, between working and school, but it's okay. It will all be worth it in the end." Peggy sighed, but never took her eyes off her husband. "He works so hard, but I know he is doing it all for us, so we can have a good future. I love him."

Bella felt her heart clutch. Such simple words, but such deep meaning. She felt ashamed of how she had been feeling, what she had been thinking. Edward did everything for her, for them, but it took a few simple words, from two very special people in a little town in the middle of nowhere to open her eyes.

She left a fifty-dollar bill under the check and walked toward the door. She stopped and turned back.

"Hey, can you make me another one of those burgers, exactly like the one I just had? And add an order of gravy fries, to go? I'll be right back."

Bubba nodded and smiled as she opened the diner door.

Bella knew what she had to do. She walked to the bus and climbed up the steep steps, went to the back, and reached up into the overhead department. She took down the small black bag and flipped through the papers until she found what she was looking for. Filling out a few forms, signed and initialed a few more, and stuck them in her jacket pocket before making her way back to the diner.

There were only a handful of customers left as she made her way to the counter. Peggy was gone, but

Bubba smiled as he brought out her order in a paper bag. "Here you go, ma'am." He frowned at her.

"You sure you can eat this? You certainly are a tiny thing. I can't imagine that first burger didn't fill you up."

She laughed. "No, this one is for someone very special to me."

As she tried to pay him, he refused her money. "You overpaid for the first one," he told her.

"No, that was a tip."

"A very good tip; even with the cost of this one, it's too much. You take this to your special person, and I hope they enjoy it," he told her, refusing to take her money.

She sat down at the counter and reached into her jacket pocket. "Peggy told me it's your anniversary."

Bubba just beamed. "Yes, two years of wedded bliss. I managed to get off work tonight so I could take her into the city for dinner."

She handed him a small plastic wallet. He frowned and refused to take it. "I told you, you overpaid."

"This is an anniversary present," she told him, smiling.

He picked it up, opened it, and pulled the laminated cards out. When he realized what he was holding, his eyes grew as big as the moon.

"Your ... I ... really?" was all he could stammer out.

She smiled at him. "Two front row seats for tonight's show, plus backstage passes for the meet and greet." She jokingly punched his shoulder. "You sure you want your beautiful wife to meet Edward

Cullen?"

Looking up at her, he had tears in her eyes. "Do you know how happy this is going to make her? Thank you, thank you so much. You have free burgers for the rest of your life."

She laughed, and was turning to leave, when Bubba grabbed her and gave her the biggest bear hug she had ever had. He could put Emmett to shame. She blushed and waved goodbye. When she reached the

door, she turned and said, "See you tonight, Bubba."

He smiled a Texas sized smile. "Look forward to it ... um." He frowned when he realized he didn't know her name.

She smiled. "Bella." She closed the door behind her.

She let herself into their hotel room and slowly opened the bedroom door, not wanting to wake him if he was still asleep. Edward was sitting by the window, wearing just his jeans, guitar in hand. He didn't notice her walk in.

He still took her breath away all these years later. He hadn't changed much other than being more incredibly handsome, with his crazy ginger hair, intense green eyes, and a jawline so strong it could probably cut glass. He had an intensity about him that some people took as conceit, but she knew better. He was driven. Music owned his soul. His mother said he was born singing instead of crying.

He taught himself to play the guitar, piano, trumpet and drums, all before he was ten. Only taking lessons to define his playing and to learn to read and write music. He wrote his first song at seven. Seeing Bubba and Peggy reminded her of how she and Edward had been when they were starting out, that new, indescribable love. She walked over and set the bag on the small table by the window then sat down on the floor by his feet. He looked at her and smiled a sad smile.

"Hey," he said. "I missed you. Where did you go?" He reached out and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "I hate waking up alone."

"I was hungry and wanted to let you sleep. I brought you lunch." She pointed to the bag.

"Yeah, real food?" He laughed.

She opened the bag and watched as his eyes grew big at the size of the burger.

"There is a little diner down the road that says they have the best burgers in Texas. They lie. They're the best burgers in the world. Dig in," she told him.

He set his guitar down by her side and picked up the burger. The look on his face was pure ecstasy.

Then he moaned. She laughed because she knew exactly what he was experiencing.

They never spoke a word until he had devoured the last bite of the burger and fries. He leaned back and looked at her. "We have to buy that place so we can eat like this every night."

She laughed long and hard. "Nope, not going to happen. Family-owned for generations, secret recipe and everything."

She watched as he practically licked the container clean.

"Thank you," he told her sincerely.

They stared at each other for a few moments, both knowing they had missed spending this kind of time together.

"I gave the guy at the diner front row tickets for tonight's show," she said softly.

He frowned at her because she never gave away free tickets, to anyone. Not that she didn't want people to come to the show, but the ones who wanted the free tickets usually didn't deserve them in her eyes.

When he didn't say anything, she continued, "I also gave them meet and greet backstage passes."

He leaned back in his chair. "We haven't done meet and greets in ages. Security decided it was too big of a risk," he told her, confused by her expression.

"I know," she said softly. "But, it's their anniversary. They've been married two years. They've been together since their junior year of high school. Peggy is a nurse, and basically supports them. He's in his last year of law school and works at the diner every minute he is not in school or studying. It seemed like they needed a break," she told him while picking at the carpet. "They kind of reminded me of us, or how we used to be."

He leaned down and pulled her into his lap. He placed his long fingers underneath her chin and forced her to look at him.

"It's okay. I don't have a problem with you giving anyone tickets. You know that, right?"

She nodded and curled up in his lap. This is where she belonged. It had been so long since they had just been Edward and Bella. This is what she needed.

She ran her fingers down his chest and looked up at him. "Peggy is crazy about you," she giggled, "but she loves her Bubba."

He laughed, "Bubba, really?"

"Yep, Bubba. You get to meet a real live Bubba, and you don't even have to go to prison to do it."

They both laughed and held on to each other tight. It had been a long time since they had connected like this. She stayed curled up in his lap for most of the afternoon, telling him all about Bubba and Peggy. She was content and happy for the first time in a long time.

Edward sighed, picked her up, and placed her on the bed. "I've been thinking," he said.

"Uh, oh. That's dangerous," she said.

He frowned at her, but pulled her into his arms.

"The next album is almost completely written, so basically, all we need to do is record it. So, how about when we get home, we take off for a couple weeks, just you and me. We can go anywhere you want – Hawaii - Vegas, you name it, and we'll go." He looked at her with such hope in his eyes.

She blinked back the tears in her eyes. "Are you serious? Can we go to the cabin?" They had purchased a cabin at Lake Tahoe, a few years ago, and it was one of her favorite places in the world.

"Absolutely! We can leave as soon as we get home."

"Okay," she said, smiling brightly.

"There is something else," he said. "The guys and I have been talking, and we're going to cut back on touring."

"Edward, I could never ask you to give up touring."

"You're not asking. There are a lot of big names who only tour on weekends. We've talked it over, and decided to only schedule concerts on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays for our next tour. Maybe do twenty or so stops in Europe and Asia but only those three nights in the States."

"Why now?" she asked.

He reached down and lifted her chin so he could look her in the eyes. "I know how unhappy you've been, Bella. I hate it, and I want to fix it." She could see the sincerity in his eyes.

"You love the road; you live for it," she whispered.

"I love you more. Besides, I think it's time we start working on those babies we keep talking about having. Then when they start school, if we're still around, we'll only tour on weekends." All she could do was stare at him. It was as if he had read her mind and knew exactly what she had been thinking. She felt a twinge of guilt.

"I don't want you to give up what you love. I don't want you to start resenting me for stealing your dreams."

"Like you're beginning to resent me?" He put his hand over her mouth, as she started to protest.

"Nothing, absolutely, nothing is worth it, to me, without you. You are more important to me than music, or touring, or even living. Please, believe that."

She lost her battle with the tears she was trying to stop. "And you're ready for babies?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I think we should start trying right now," he said, flipping her over onto her back, and kissing her passionately.

He lifted her tee-shirt over her head, kissing his way down her neck, stopping to nibble on her earlobe.

They undressed each other, exploring every inch of each other's body. He never took his eyes off of hers as he entered her, moving slowly in and out, until their passion reached its peak, and they were both sweating and clinging to each other.

They arrived at the venue separately. They always did. She had to be there early to make sure everything was set up correctly, lighting was ready, instruments in place.

The guys arrived fifteen minutes before show time. It was a pattern they had always followed. He didn't get nervous as long as they stuck to this pattern, so they didn't see each other before the show.

She climbed up to the lighting tower to go over last minute details with the lighting tech. She did it for every show, even though the tech knew as much, if not more, as she did.

She looked around the auditorium while the lights were still on, and smiled to herself when she saw Bubba and Peggy sitting front row center, practically bouncing in their seats. It made her happy to see them so excited.

The concert was amazing. The band was on fire, and the crowd stayed on their feet for most of the show. This was what CullensX3 do best.

She made her way to the side of the stage as they played their last song. Something she always did; she would stand and wait, he would give her a kiss, then run back on stage for the encore. She knew their set list by heart, so she knew just when to arrive.

The crowd went crazy as the band finished their regular set with their latest number one hit. The lights went out, and the stage went dark. Edward ran to her side, pulled her close, and kissed her deeply.

"Stay close for the encore, okay?" he whispered.

She frowned. She usually started working on the breakdown during the encore, but if Edward wanted her to stay, she would.

The crowd was still on their feet, and the noise was deafening. She watched as Edward pulled a stool front, and center. This is odd. They always finished up with some heavy, hard-hitting rock, leaving the crowd excited and exhausted from dancing around.

The lights went on, and the crowd went nuts. Edward sat on the stool and pulled his guitar onto his lap.

She was confused, and almost panicked when the lights changed, to a single soft spot on Edward.

"What the hell ..." She thought, "this is not supposed to happen." As she turned to go check out what has happened, she heard his voice.

"Thank you so much for coming," he told the crowd.

She stopped and turned to watch him. He had never done anything like this at a show. Everything was paced just so, and he never changed a set.

The crowd began to quiet as Edward spoke, "As you all know, tonight is the last night of our tour, and we want to thank you for all the support you have showed us over the last seven years. Without the fans, we would still be a little garage band. We have the best fans in the world, and we thank you."

The crowd went nuts, again. Edward held his hands up so they would quiet.

"When we leave here, we're going to start recording our next album, and we hope that you'll enjoy it as much as the last one. We've been writing it over the last few months, so all we have to do is record it. We'd like to give you a little preview, if you don't mind."

Of course, the crowd was on their feet, clapping and shouting.

"I would like to tell you the story behind this song. I didn't write this, we don't usually sing other people's music, but this is for someone very special to me. It's not your typical CullensX3 song, but it means everything to me because every time I hear it, I think of her. It will be on our next album, changed up a little bit to make it ours.

"As a band, we've been blessed. We get to travel the world and do what we love to do, make music and perform for you. But, without the support of our families and loved ones, this would mean nothing. Excuse me, for just a moment," Edward told the crowd.

He got up and walked toward Bella. She asked him what he was doing, when he grabbed her arm and pulled her onto the stage. He stopped, grabbed another stool, and set it next to the one he had been sitting on.

"Ladies and gentleman," he said, "I would like to introduce you to my beautiful wife, Bella."

He smiled down at her as she continued to stare at him in shock.

"Bella has been by my side since we were juniors in high school. I knew the minute I laid eyes on her, outside our school in Forks, Washington, that she would change my life. She has been by my side through this crazy journey, and I don't know if she realizes how important she is to me. She told me a story today about a couple she met who reminded her of us. They have been together since they were seventeen, they work hard, go to school, struggle every day, but they do it because they love each other, and as long as they have love, everything else is secondary."

Edward looked deep into Bella's eyes. "I don't tell her enough how much I love her, how much I need her. But, since music is the universal language, but more importantly where words fail, music speaks, I sing this song for her. I can only hope it conveys how I feel about her and how much it means to me

to have her by my side. So, I dedicate this song to Bubba and Peggy, who are celebrating their second wedding anniversary tonight, but mostly, I dedicate it to my Bella."

Bella looked out at the audience and noticed the stunned look on Bubba and Peggy's faces before she turned back to Edward.

Edward leaned over and kissed Bella lightly.

"This song was written by Leon Russell, but we have changed it up a little. Hope you like it. Bella, this says it all about how I feel about you."

Edward picked up his guitar, and started to play a familiar, but moving melody.

_I've acted out my love in stages, with ten thousand people watching,_

She could barely see Edward for the tears falling from her eyes. He struggled with the words that meant so much to him, because it explained how he felt. If she didn't get it through the words, he hoped the melody told the story.

The audience was on its feet; you could barely hear a thing. Edward had taken a classic song and made it his own. His eyes never left hers, and she could hear and feel all the feeling he was putting into this one song. She had never felt anything like it before, and her decision was made. She knew, for certain, she could never leave him, because he was her life. Edward placed his guitar down and pulled Bella tight to him. Though she could barely hear him, he whispered, "I love you so much," over and over again in her ear. She silently thanked Bubba and Peggy. They reminded her that true love had many ups and down, but in the end, it was all that truly mattered.


End file.
